Moronika
The community forum of ThreeStooges.net

A Blitz on the Fritz (1943) - Harry Langdon

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Paul Pain

  • Moronika's resident meteorologist
  • Moderator
  • Bunionhead
  • ******
  • The heartthrob of millions!




https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035682/

I feel that I owe y'all an explanation.  It must be pointed out that the reason there are no current efforts to restore the Langdon Columbia shorts is because (1) some shorts are lost and (2) others are hostage in private film collections.  It's the sad state of things at the moment.

This is Harry Langdon's WWII propaganda short, and it's actually quite possibly the worst one I have seen from Columbia in this genre.  The short just seems too forced in many places, and for much of it I didn't laugh.  Actually, I hardly laughed at all after Harry stumbles onto the spy hideout.

It's a Columbia short with solid casting, but the short itself is lacking.  Now, what is funny is the trademark Harry Langdon creativity.  Namely, the crazy method by which Harry gets all the men to chase him into the spy chambers so the ring can be busted.  But, I didn't laugh during the fight (old gags done flatly or poorly) or during the bandaging scene (just abuse, but unfunny abuse). The ending, stolen from WHAT'S THE MATADOR? was poor as well.

I am so bored by this one that it gets a lowly...

4/10 [poke] [poke] [poke] [poke]
#1 fire kibitzer


Offline HomokHarcos

I feel the parts that don't involve the spy bits are better. Such as the beginning when it's Harry and his wife, or when her and the other women are practicing nursing on him. The tire bit and spear bit at the beginning is enjoyable, though it's more Jules White comedy than Harry Langdon.


Offline Umbrella Sam

  • Toastmaster General
  • Knothead
  • *****
    • Talk About Cinema
I’m going to have to disagree. I actually quite enjoyed this...for the most part. The bandaging scene was painfully unfunny and long, but outside of that, I actually found I was laughing a lot at this short. I enjoyed Harry’s methods of getting the men to follow him, especially when he was irritating the guy on parole. I enjoyed the actual fight as well; it is standard Columbia fare, sure, but I thought it was done well. I also really liked when Harry was having issues with the spear and tire, especially when he debated kicking the painter only to talk himself out of it. It definitely is more of a Jules White short than it is a Harry Langdon short, but I do think White’s style can work, and this is one where I do actually quite like the results.

8 out of 10
“I’ll take a milkshake...with sour milk!” -Shemp (Punchy Cowpunchers, 1950)

My blog: https://talk-about-cinema.blogspot.com


Offline Umbrella Sam

  • Toastmaster General
  • Knothead
  • *****
    • Talk About Cinema
A bit off topic, but I still thought this was worth sharing. I was looking up Harry’s last film, PISTOL PACKIN NITWITS, and found this color photo of him on the set of that film on Pinterest.



I can’t say for certain, but my guess is that this comes from one of El Brendel’s home movies. Even though I know he did a color sequence in LONG PANTS, as far as I’m aware, this might be the only surviving color photo of him.
“I’ll take a milkshake...with sour milk!” -Shemp (Punchy Cowpunchers, 1950)

My blog: https://talk-about-cinema.blogspot.com


Offline metaldams

A bit off topic, but I still thought this was worth sharing. I was looking up Harry’s last film, PISTOL PACKIN NITWITS, and found this color photo of him on the set of that film on Pinterest.



I can’t say for certain, but my guess is that this comes from one of El Brendel’s home movies. Even though I know he did a color sequence in LONG PANTS, as far as I’m aware, this might be the only surviving color photo of him.

I’m not aware of a color sequence in LONG PANTS, at least on my print of it.

As far as that picture, sounds like it was taken really close to his death.  I’m sure that will be discussed once we get to that short.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline Umbrella Sam

  • Toastmaster General
  • Knothead
  • *****
    • Talk About Cinema
I’m not aware of a color sequence in LONG PANTS, at least on my print of it.

As far as that picture, sounds like it was taken really close to his death.  I’m sure that will be discussed once we get to that short.

Allegedly, a color sequence was shot for LONG PANTS, but it’s lost. I’m not sure if it appeared in any prints released at the time, but it is believed to have at least been filmed.

Yeah, I’ve read that Langdon apparently was bedridden after a day of shooting PISTOL PACKIN NITWITS and that he died soon after. That one is going to be really sad to watch, and it’s also sad to think that possibly the only home movie footage of Harry Langdon was shot during those final days.
“I’ll take a milkshake...with sour milk!” -Shemp (Punchy Cowpunchers, 1950)

My blog: https://talk-about-cinema.blogspot.com


Offline metaldams

Just watched this one.  Like The Three Stooges shorts vs. The Laurel and Hardy Nazi films, this falls in with the former in that the Nazis were pretty bumbling and the comedy was kept important versus heavy drama.  The Stan and Ollie MGM stuff can be way too serious at times - so yes, good job to Columbia for keeping things light.

An OK enough short and I agree it works better as a Columbia versus a Langdon.  Still, Langdon gets his little hand wave and his stilted comic delivery in just enough.  Still, the part where’s he’s getting bandaged up, while fun to watch, could have been done by any comedian.

The whole perform slapstick on people to get them to case you to a location was done with a twist here.  A staple of a zillion silent comedians, usually it’s to get cops to chase the comedian so they can be lead to the bad guys.  Here, the cops want nothing to do with it so it’s citizens who get led in a chase.  Also, yes, at the end, the whole “What’s the Matador” ending.  I knew exactly what was going to happen before it happened and I’ve never seen this short until now.

Minor Langdon.  Standard Columbia.  Acceptable entertainment.
- Doug Sarnecky